SUNY Sullivan gets its new president

LOCH SHELDRAKE — A community college administrator from Oregon will become the next president of SUNY Sullivan, the school announced this week.

Karin Hilgersom, vice president for instruction at Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Ore., beat out three other finalists to succeed interim President Bill Murabito.

She will officially take over Feb. 18 under a tentative agreement that calls for her to be paid $141,000.

"This is a really prime candidate, and the staff and the chancellor seemed to totally endorse her appointment," said Nick Speranza, chairman of SUNY Sullivan's board of trustees. "We're very excited about her."

Hilgersom's hiring caps a process launched in April when a 20-member search committee began reviewing more than 40 applications.

Nine applicants were chosen to be interviewed by video. Four finalists were invited to visit the campus and meet with faculty, staff and students.

Her resume includes stints as executive vice-president of instruction at Walla Walla Community College and dean of arts and sciences at Spokane Community College, where she also been interim dean of liberal arts and vocational related education.

Hilgersom will take over a school burdened by the financial challenges facing many campuses. SUNY Sullivan's board is looking to not only expand enrollment. Its members are also seeking to play a greater role in meeting Sullivan's employment needs, such as in health services.

"We want to produce students that can go out and get jobs in our local community," Speranza said.

Hilgersom will become the school's first permanent president since President Mamie Howard-Golladay announced her retirement in August 2011.

Golladay's departure ended a 14-year tenure marked by new programs and student housing, but marred by the high-profile failure of a wind-turbine project and charges of poor communication, especially from county legislators.

Murabito has been credited with re-energizing the campus and with strengthening the school's relationship with legislators. Murabito will leave at the end of the month to become interim president at Morrisville State College, Speranza said.

"He was an outstanding bridge," Speranza said. "The last thing we were looking for was a caretaker, and he was not."